Monmouth University Elects New Trustees

The Monmouth University Board of Trustees elected four new members on Feb. 26. Patty Azzarello ’86, John A. Brockriede Jr. ’07, ’10M, Christopher Maher, and Erik Matson ’88M will begin service to the board on July 1, 2015.

“As we continue the process of implementing the ambitious vision and goals outlined in our strategic plan, having a diverse, vibrant, and participatory board is critical. We are delighted that these outstanding executives will add their considerable talents to our leadership team,” said President Paul R. Brown.

“I am looking forward to working with our new trustees,” said Board Chair Henry D. Mercer III. “Fulfilling the objectives of our strategic plan will enhance the educational experience for our students and better prepare them for successful careers after graduation.”

Azzarello is a successful Silicon Valley executive, best-selling author and speaker. She is the founder of Azzarello Group, Inc., a management consulting firm in Palo Alto, Calif. Notably the youngest general manager at Hewlett Packard at the age of 33, Azzarello then ran a $1 billion software business at 35 and became a CEO for the first time at 38. With more than 25 years of experience in high tech and business, she has held leadership roles in general management, marketing, software product development and sales, has been successful in running and transforming large and small businesses, and has significant international management experience. She is the author of the best-selling book “RISE: 3 Practical Steps to Advancing Your Career, Standing Out as a Leader (and Liking Your Life).” Azzarello earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Monmouth University in 1986. She lives in Carmel Valley, Calif.

Brockriede, of West Long Branch, N.J., is a co-owner of Legacy Management Group LLC, a real estate management company in Long Branch, N.J. He is recently retired from the Wall Township (N.J.) Police Department, where he worked for more than 25 years, ascending to the rank of captain. Brockriede served as the vice president of the Senior Officers Association of the Wall Township PBA Local Chapter #234, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Central Jersey Chapter. He has also been a co-chair of the Monmouth University Scholarship Ball. A Long Branch, N.J. native, Brockriede earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from Monmouth University in 2007 and 2010, respectively. He also earned a Certified Public Manager designation from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Maher is the president and CEO of OceanFirst Bank and its parent company OceanFirst Financial Corp. He leads the OceanFirst Bank’s daily operations with a commitment to community banking and extraordinary customer care. With over 25 years of experience in financial services and related industries, Maher’s banking career is diverse and has included responsibilities in retail banking, consumer lending, and insurance services. He attended Franklin & Marshall College, graduated from Upsala College with a bachelor’s degree in business, and earned a graduate certificate in banking from Consumer Bankers Association and the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. Maher serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Helen Keller Services, a national nonprofit agency serving people with hearing and visual disabilities, where he has been actively involved since 1998. He lives in Rumson, N.J.

Matson is a senior advisor to the insurance industry, working with entities including Boyden Global Executive Search, New York, where he helps place C-level and senior executives for domestic and global roles within property & casualty, reinsurance, capital markets and insurance industry-related firms; as well as managing angel/venture capital investments focused on insurance and asset/alternative investment vehicles. Prior to his current activities, he was a senior executive for Allianz and AIG. He earned an M.B.A. from Monmouth University in 1988 and has completed post-graduate studies at the University of Chicago and Harvard Graduate School of Business. He received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from Drew University and studied international economics at the London School of Economics. In addition to his service to Monmouth, he serves on the Board of Directors and heads the Industry Advisory Group for BlackOps Partners, a cyber-espionage consulting and solutions firm, and is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Gamma Iota Sigma, an academic fraternity, which provides mentorship and professional opportunities and structure for actuarial science, risk management and insurance students. A resident of Belle Mead, N.J., Matson is a retired Lieutenant Colonel (USAF), where among many accomplishments, he has led bio-terrorism exercises as well as being deployed in support of the War on Global Terror.